Steven Smith has been leading the test side in Clarke's absence while George Bailey led the one-day international team during the recent series victory at home against South Africa.

After hurting his hamstring in Adelaide, a distraught Clarke told reporters he had to face the possibility that he might never play again.

He has since rowed back on those comments and remains determined to take back the reins.

Clarke said he put his reaction in Adelaide down to being "extremely emotional" and he had since been given confidence from surgeons that the hamstring tendon he had repaired was otherwise in sound condition.

With Clarke likely to miss the first part of the World Cup, Bailey is well placed to lead, though Smith has mounted a compelling case, bashing three centuries in consecutive matches against India and also dominating South Africa's world class attack in the ODI series.